• Guided tours can help you get the most out of your visit to history-rich Charleston, S.C.charleston carriage image by Sirena Designs from Fotolia.com
  
  A trip to Charleston, S.C., is like stepping back in time to the Old South. Rich in Civil War history and filled with rows of painstakingly restored and maintained antebellum homes, it is South Carolina's oldest city with more than 40 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is home to Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. It is a rich mix, but there are many guided tours available to help you get the most out of your visit.
  
  

Classic Carriage Works

• Classic Carriage Works (classiccarriage.com) takes visitors on a tour of the city's historic architecture in horse-drawn carriages. The company says it offers "an experience with an eye on the traditions of the past" as it presents the history of the city from its founding as a seaport by the British in 1670. The one-hour tours are led by licensed guides; seasonal twilight tours are available. Tour prices vary and the company requires advance registration for some of them. It also recommends making a reservation for all tours because they can fill up two days in advance.
  
  

Charleston's Finest Historic Tours

• The owners of Charleston's Finest Historic Tours (historictoursofcharleston.com) are Charleston natives and say their families date back to 1690 in the state. They offer several tours, all of which offer visitors a different aspect of the city and area. Among the most popular tours is the 110-minute Historic City Tour, which showcases homes, churches and gardens along with stories about Charleston's past. It also offers information about Fort Sumter. A four-hour Magnolia Plantation & Gardens tour takes visitors to a restored plantation to see the mansion and slave quarters for a glimpse of life in the Old South. Prices vary for the tours.
  
  

Boone Hall Plantation

• Boone Hall Plantation (boonehallplantation.com) recreates life on an 1800s plantation with special events throughout the year. The plantation, located eight miles from downtown Charleston, is privately owned, but was restored with the goal of opening to the public. Crops are still raised on the plantation and you-pick-it fields of fruits and vegetables are open throughout the year. Tours of the grounds include a 30-minute guided walk through the mansion, a visit to the living quarters of slaves, tours of the garden and a tram tour that runs the length of plantation. Attractions planned for the day are listed at the entrance to the grounds.